Immediately after his regression, Steven feels peculiar pressure in his ears, similar to an altitude shift. The sensation arrives suddenly and without physical cause, contributing to a dreamlike dislocation from everyday body awareness.
He repeatedly yawns and swallows, grounding himself back into normal sensation. The transition resembles waking from a powerful dream where physical cues lag behind consciousness.
Hopkins notes that such afterglow sensations indicate lingering altered states following deep encounter recall.
